(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the harvesting and de-limbing of trees.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A well-known machine known as a "feller-buncher" is capable of severing tree trunks near to ground level, and for transporting the trees, holding them firmly at or near to their lower ends. It has been customary for such a machine to be used to place a number of such trees with their trunks more or less parallel and close together, and for de-limbing then to be carried out e.g. using a multiple-tooth jaw-type de-limber or a gate de-limber. This procedure involved a considerable amount of time and labour in transporting the trees and in de-limbing them.
To avoid the problem of having to transport the felled trees to the de-limber, combined felling and de-limbing machines were developed. These machines have two major problems. Firstly, they can only de-limb one tree at a time. Secondly, they are extremely expensive and inflexible and are not particularly suitable for the small forestry contractor.